WC: 1,256
Redemption was a word often used for the hopeless. The ones that seemed to walk that dark path and knew not to ever return. The wishes and hopes for redemption; forgiveness was so far between. But peace of mind, you could maybe even see the light. May you never seek forgives some would say, down the idea of even a glimmer of a hope…
The ideas of darkness, they consumed the heart, began hatred and strangled the very essence of a being. This was true, to the story of Sultana. Her life had been about deceiving others- playing for #1. Even having cubs didn’t stop her, in fact, she had began to hate everyone and had hoped to bring down the ‘happy-go lucky’ pride that had been hunting in to her home. Her territory. But home, was never in succession, no- maybe a day or two. A week tops. But cubs, had slowly changed her. Revenge and seeking hatred was the only thing in her heart and had eaten her mind whole.
When she was due to have children, it had been before hatred had come in to her heart. She finally stayed in one spot for more than a week- and the days would pass by and a neighboring pride started to venture in to her territory. That’s when things started to change. Her heart started getting bitter and the less and less food she had for her stomach. Her cubs. Anger that she was now competing for food made it impossible for her think of anything more. The more anger- the more her stomach grew til when she finally was about to give birth- she abandoned them. There was no more room in her heart for love and compassion or motherly instincts. What had filled her was ‘everyone is trying to take from me’ – ‘these things are just feeding off of me- they don’t love me’- Abandoning them had been the worst mistake of her life.
It had turned out that a God had entered her home. Filling her heart with hate for the pride to start a war. The God of Hate. Nelly.
After the war had came to an end… The God of Peace had cleared her mind and her heart began to feel but it was too late. She ran out far from the pride at where she had simply abandoned them and the blood had already been burned in to the ground in a stain, and the pain of her children- no signs of them. Gone. She cried… and ailed. For such a horrid act, she didn’t know how to feel- redemption. Her fell to her stomach. ”God of Peace! Please… help me find my children!”
She continued to cry… she wanted salvation. Wanted forgiveness and she wanted to feel the warmth she had when she first knew of her children. Love.
It was then that Chini’ya’Maji had appeared in the area. Her ears caught wind of the sound of crying before she found the source. It was a cheetah. Laid out- screaming and crying… Before hand, she would probably have left the cheetah there in her own misery but because of Tasnim… maybe she should see what was wrong with her. She didn’t have food to offer, or any help since she was just passing through. But it was worth a try. ”You ok…?” She finally came up to the brown cheetah’s side. Ears lower- and maybe even a slight sign of a look of sadness. Maybe. Even compassion.
Sultana looked up, tears filled her eyes as she slowly looked back down and started to paw at the stain of where she had once gave birth.
”Maybe I can help.” Words she had never said to another soul other than her family and maybe her pride but definitely not to some complete stranger. Then slowly she sat down on her hunches. Lowering her head in wait, just in case the girl ended up talking. Then she did.
”My children… I left my children here. Now they are gone. All of them.” Her voice sounded broken and torn.
”Maybe someone-“ She was about to say, ate them but that wasn’t a proper thing to say at a time like this. Nope, for some reason her maw was detained for that notion and responded. ”Maybe someone is taking care of them near by. Have you checked?”
”I HAVE! THEIR GONE! I can’t smell them anywhere! I looked everywhere!”
She cried, and Chini didn’t exactly know how to deal with so much emotion in one cheetah.
”I’m…sorry?” She questioned it. Then sighed and slowly lowered her body and put a paw on top of the brown cheetah’s paw. Hoping it would provide the same comfort. Ears went down as tried to just be a silent help to her.
”My heart couldn’t find a place for them… it hurt to breath! They had taken everything from me! But I couldn’t- I couldn’t feel at the time- I wasn’t right- I was taken by hatred!” As she continued the story and just by being there, accompanying the cheetah, things was just calmed on their own and as she spoke, Chini listened but with an open mind- like a filing cabinet. Nodding and simply being there. It then got to the point where Sultana was so out of character in her emotions that she just buried her face in. After a while, finally the cheetah came around and sniffled, and all her tears had stained her cheeks. Sniffing and just shaking her head. ”Thank you… I’m just… Its hard.”
”It’s ok. Here. Why don’t you rest.”
”No. Just in case they come back.”
Which was completely irrational to do, it was heading to night now and after all the talking she had done- hyenas would be out soon. ”It isn’t safe to be out here, especially around this time- and especially a place where you could smell blood. It may be old but prey come back to the same place and they know that.” With her saying those words. Sultana freaked out and got to her paws. ”They are the ones who ate my children! They will never come back! Let them come- I’ll be waiting!”
With the out burst, Chini lowered her head. ”Please be safe.” As she slowly got up.
”I wouldn’t want to drag anyone in to my fight. It’s my fight against those beast. Please- you have done enough. “
Which at that point Chini think she was staying, but with how irrational and emotional the other was… She shook her head. ”I’m only going to get a drink… I’ll be back. You shouldn’t be staying out here alone like this.”
And it was true.. Chini did come back and stayed the whole night with the other. Helping her emotionally through this struggle. Where she would cry, Chini would touch her paw. When the other needed to scream- Chini listened and when the brown cheetah finally slept. She had significantly looked a lot calmer than she had been. Her emotions were run dry for letting it all out… Therapeuticly letting go.
The crab cheetah lifted her body and left on day break… Trying to get out of the grasp of the cheetah, trying not to wake her. Then slipping away. After a few yards, she looked back. Hopefully she would be safe… and maybe her kids weren’t dead. Maybe they were founded by someone. Who knows. But the last thing she remember- Sultana was finally peaceful…
"I hope you find them...."
